PM has taken steps to end price-hike, unemployment, says Khattak

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Thursday people would soon feel a big change as Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken tangible steps for ending price-hike and unemployment.

“Improving the living standards of the poor is a priority of the prime minister. He has taken all measures towards that end after assuming power,” he said while speaking at the inauguration of the office of the ASC Colony Housing Society Phase-II.

Pervez Khattak said the economic situation in the country was not satisfactory when Imran Khan became the prime minister after the July 25, 2018, general election. “The prime minister paid special attention to the ailing economy. He saved the country from going bankrupt during the last one and a half years,” added the defence minister. Khattak blamed the past rulers for the poor economic conditions of the country. “The past governments borrowed Rs 30,000 billion from foreign funding agencies and other sources. The present government had to take loans for now returning the past loans with mark-up,” he pointed out.

The defence minister said it was due to the efforts of the prime minister that friendly countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar came forward and helped Pakistan with strengthening its economy.

Khattak came down hard on the opposition parties after accusing them of launching propaganda against the PTI government. “Now that when the economy is turning a turn for the better, the opposition parties are upset and hence in bid to discredit the government,” he argued.

The defence minister believed that all conspiracies against the government had failed and its popularity graph had not gone down.

He advised the opposition parties to play a positive role inside the parliament as positive criticism was part and parcel of a democratic society. The defence minister said holding public meetings and rallies was the right of the opposition parties and difference of opinion signified democracy.

“The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan People’s Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl should carry out activities within the constitutional limits,” he said but added that no none will be allowed to violate the law.

Earlier, Juma Said Khan talked about the ASC Colony –Phase-11. He said the housing society was being developed in collaboration with the Army Service Corps. He said the power supply and sewerage system would be underground in the colony.